The
Bombardier Dash 8 (formerly the
de Havilland Canada Dash 8, sometimes abbreviated as
DHC-8) is a series of twin-engined, medium range,
turbopropTurboprop engines are a type of aircraft powerplant that use a gas turbine to drive a propeller. The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
airlinerAn airliner is a large fixed-wing aircraft for transporting passengers and cargo. Such planes are owned by airlines....
s. Introduced by
de Havilland CanadaThe de Havilland Canada company was an aircraft manufacturer with facilities based in what is now the Downsview area of Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
(DHC) in 1984, they are now produced by
Bombardier AerospaceBombardier Aerospace is a division of Bombardier Inc.. It is the third largest aircraft company in the world in terms of yearly delivery of commercial airplanes overall, and the fourth largest in terms of yearly delivery of regional jets...
. Since 1996, the aircraft have been known as the
Q Series, for "quiet". Over 1000 Dash 8s of all models have been built. Bombardier forecasts a total production run of 1,192 units of all Dash8/QSeries variants through to 2016.
In the 1970s, de Havilland Canada had invested heavily in their
Dash 7The de Havilland Canada DHC-7, popularly known as the Dash 7, is a turboprop-powered regional airliner with STOL capabilities. It first flew in 1975 and remained in production until 1988 when the parent company, de Havilland Canada, was purchased by Boeing and was later sold to Bombardier...
project, creating what was essentially a larger four-engine version of their
Twin OtterThe DHC-6 Twin Otter is a 20-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC aircraft...
, concentrating on excellent
STOL (Short Takeoff And Landing)STOL is an acronym for short take-off and landing, a term used to describe aircraft with very short runway requirements.The formal NATO definition is:...
and short-field performance, their traditional area of expertise.
The
Bombardier Dash 8 (formerly the
de Havilland Canada Dash 8, sometimes abbreviated as
DHC-8) is a series of twin-engined, medium range,
turbopropTurboprop engines are a type of aircraft powerplant that use a gas turbine to drive a propeller. The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
airlinerAn airliner is a large fixed-wing aircraft for transporting passengers and cargo. Such planes are owned by airlines....
s. Introduced by
de Havilland CanadaThe de Havilland Canada company was an aircraft manufacturer with facilities based in what is now the Downsview area of Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
(DHC) in 1984, they are now produced by
Bombardier AerospaceBombardier Aerospace is a division of Bombardier Inc.. It is the third largest aircraft company in the world in terms of yearly delivery of commercial airplanes overall, and the fourth largest in terms of yearly delivery of regional jets...
. Since 1996, the aircraft have been known as the
Q Series, for "quiet". Over 1000 Dash 8s of all models have been built. Bombardier forecasts a total production run of 1,192 units of all Dash8/QSeries variants through to 2016.
Design and development
In the 1970s, de Havilland Canada had invested heavily in their
Dash 7The de Havilland Canada DHC-7, popularly known as the Dash 7, is a turboprop-powered regional airliner with STOL capabilities. It first flew in 1975 and remained in production until 1988 when the parent company, de Havilland Canada, was purchased by Boeing and was later sold to Bombardier...
project, creating what was essentially a larger four-engine version of their
Twin OtterThe DHC-6 Twin Otter is a 20-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC aircraft...
, concentrating on excellent
STOL (Short Takeoff And Landing)STOL is an acronym for short take-off and landing, a term used to describe aircraft with very short runway requirements.The formal NATO definition is:...
and short-field performance, their traditional area of expertise. Using four medium-power engines with large four-bladed propellers resulted in very low noise levels which, combined with its excellent STOL characteristics, made the Dash 7 suitable for operating from small in-city airports, a market DHC felt would be compelling. However, only a handful of air carriers employed the Dash 7, as most
regional airlineRegional airlines are airlines that operate regional aircraft to provide passenger air service to communities without sufficient demand to attract mainline service...
s were more interested in operational costs than short-field performance.
In 1980, de Havilland responded by dropping the short-field performance requirement and adapting the basic Dash 7 layout to use only two, more powerful engines. Their favoured engine supplier,
Pratt & Whitney CanadaPratt & Whitney Canada is a Canadian aircraft engine manufacturer. PWC's headquarters are in Longueuil, Quebec, just outside Montreal. It is a division of the larger US-based Pratt & Whitney , itself a business unit of United Technologies...
, developed the new
PW100Pratt & Whitney Canada's PW100 engine family is a series of 2,000 to 5,000 horsepower turboprops manufactured by Pratt and Whitney's Canadian subsidiary. The engine first entered service in 1984.-Design:...
series engines for the role, more than doubling the power from their
PT6The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 is one of the most popular turboprop aircraft engines in history. It is produced by Pratt & Whitney Canada in a wide variety of models, covering the power range between 580 and 920 shaft horsepower in the original series, and up to in the "large" lines...
. Originally designated the PT7A-2R engine, it later became the PW120. When the Dash 8 rolled out on April 19, 1983, more than 3,800 hours of testing had been accumulated over two years on five PW100 series test engines. Certification of the PW120 followed in late 1983.
Distinguishing features of the Dash 8 design are the large
T-tailthumb|right|Grob motor gliderA T-tail is an aircraft tail stabilizer arrangement in which the horizontal surfaces are mounted to the top of the vertical stabilizer. Traditionally, the horizontal control surfaces are mounted to the fuselage at the base of the vertical stabilizer...
intended to keep the tail free of prop wash during takeoff, a very high
aspect ratiothumb|The low aspect ratio wing of a [[Piper PA-28 Cherokee]].In aerodynamics, the aspect ratio of a wing is defined as the square of the wing span divided by the wing area....
wing, the elongated engine
nacelleThe nacelle is a cover housing that holds engines, fuel, or equipment on an aircraft or wind turbine. In some cases—most notably the World War II-era P-38 Lightning airplane—an aircraft's cockpit may also be housed in a nacelle...
s also holding the rearward-folding
landing gearLanding Gear is Devin the Dude's fifth studio album. It was released on October 7 2008. It will be his first studio album since signing with the label Razor & Tie. It features a high-profile guest appearance from Snoop Dogg. As of October 30, 2008, the album has sold 18,906 copies.-Track...
, and the pointed nose profile. First flight was on June 20, 1983, and the airliner entered service in 1984 with
NorOntairNorOntair is a defunct airline from Canada that operated its first scheduled flight October 18, 1971 and its last flight March 29, 1996.-Dash 8 service:* Fort Frances* Kapuskasing* North Bay* Sault Ste...
.
Piedmont AirlinesPiedmont Airlines is an American regional airline operating for US Airways Express. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the US Airways Group. Headquartered in unincorporated Wicomico County, Maryland, near the City of Salisbury, it conducts flight operations using De Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft...
, formerly Henson Airlines, was the first US customer for the Dash 8 in 1984.
The Dash 8 design had better cruise performance than the Dash 7, was less expensive to operate, and much less expensive to maintain due largely to having only two engines. The Dash 8 had the lowest cost per passenger mile of any
regional airlinerA Regional Airliner is a small airliner designed to fly up to 100 passengers on short-haul flights, usually feeding larger carriers hubs from small markets. This class of airliners are typically flown by the regional airlines that are either contracted by or subsidiaries of the larger airlines...
of the era. It was a little noisier than the extremely quiet Dash 7, and could not match the superb STOL performance of its earlier DHC forebears, although it was still able to operate from small airports with runways, as against required by a fully loaded Dash 7.
In April 2008, Bombardier announced that the Classic versions (Series 100, 200, 300) would be out of the production line, making the Series 400 the only Dash 8 still in production. 660 Dash 8 Classics were produced, the last one delivered to Air Nelson in May 2008.
Q400X
Bombardier is studying development of a 90- to 100-seat stretch of the Q400 with two plug-in segments, currently called the
Q400X project. In response to this project, ATR is also studying a 90-seat stretch.
On June 15, 2009, Bombardier commercial aircraft president Gary Scott indicated that the Q400X will be "definitely part of our future" for possible introduction in 2013-14, although he has not detailed the size of the proposed version or committed to an introduction date.
Operational history
The Dash 8 was introduced at a particularly advantageous time; most airlines were in the process of adding new aircraft to their fleet as the airline industry expanded greatly in the 1980s. The older generation of
regional airlinerA Regional Airliner is a small airliner designed to fly up to 100 passengers on short-haul flights, usually feeding larger carriers hubs from small markets. This class of airliners are typically flown by the regional airlines that are either contracted by or subsidiaries of the larger airlines...
s from the 1950s and 1960s was nearing retirement, leading to high sales figures. de Havilland Canada was unable to meet the demand with sufficient production.
In 1988,
BoeingThe Boeing Company is a major aerospace and defense corporation, founded by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Its international headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois, since 2001...
bought the company in a bid to improve production at DHC's Downsview Airport plants, as well as better position themselves to compete for a new
Air CanadaAir Canada is Canada's largest airline and flag carrier. The airline, founded in 1936, provides scheduled and charter air transportation for passengers and cargo to 96 destinations worldwide. Its largest hub is Toronto Pearson International Airport in Ontario. Its main base is Montreal-Pierre...
order for large intercontinental airliners. Air Canada was a Crown corporation at the time, and both Boeing and
AirbusAirbus
SAS is an aircraft manufacturing subsidiary of EADS, a European aerospace company. Based in Toulouse, France, and with significant activity across Europe, the company produces around half of the world's jet airliners.Airbus began as a consortium of aerospace manufacturers...
were competing heavily via political channels for the contract. It was eventually won by Airbus, who received an order for 34 A320 aircraft in a highly controversial move. The allegations of bribery are today known as the
Airbus affairThe Airbus affair refers to allegations of secret commissions paid to members of the Government of Canada during the term of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, in exchange for then-crown corporation Air Canada's purchase of a large number of Airbus jets...
. Following their failure in the competition, Boeing immediately put de Havilland Canada up for sale. The company was eventually purchased by Bombardier in 1992.
The market demand for short-haul airliners was so great that
AerospatialeAérospatiale was a French aerospace manufacturer that built both civilian and military aircraft, rockets and satellites. It was originally known as Société Nationale d'Industrie Aérospatiale...
of
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
paired with
ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
's Alenia to form ATR. Their once separate efforts combined to compete directly with the Dash 8. The resulting
ATR 42The ATR 42 is a twin-turboprop, short-haul regional airliner built in France and Italy by ATR. The name "42" comes from the aircraft's standard seating, which varies from 40 to 50...
was even less expensive than the Dash 8, but de Havilland Canada responded with newer models to close the gap. Other companies competed with smaller or more tailored designs, like the
Saab 340The Saab 340 is a Swedish two-engine turboprop aircraft designed and initially produced by a partnership between Saab and Fairchild Aircraft in a 65:35 ratio...
and Embraer Brasilia, but by the time these were introduced the market was already reaching saturation.
All Dash 8s delivered from the second quarter of 1996 (including all Series 400s) include the Active Noise and Vibration Suppression (ANVS) system designed to reduce cabin noise and vibration levels to nearly those of jet airliners. To emphasize their quietness, Bombardier renamed the Dash 8 models as the Q Series turboprops (Q200, Q300 and Q400).
The Dash 8-100 is no longer in production, with the last Dash 8-102 built in 2005. Production of the Q200 and Q300 ceased in May 2009.
Regional jet competition
The introduction of the
regional jetThe term Regional jet, or RJ, describes a range of short to medium-haul turbofan powered aircraft, whose use throughout the world expanded after the advent of Airline Deregulation in the United States in 1978....
altered the sales picture. Although more expensive than turboprops, airlines can operate passenger services on routes not suitable for turboprops. Turboprop aircraft have lower fuel consumption and can operate from shorter runways than regional jets, but have higher engine maintenance costs, shorter ranges and lower cruising speeds.
The market for new aircraft to replace existing turboprops once again grew in the mid-1990s, and de Havilland responded with the improved "Series 400" design.
When world oil prices drove up short-haul airfares in 2006, an increasing number of airlines that had bought regional jets began to reassess turboprop regional airliners, which use about 30% less fuel than regional jets. Although the market does not appear to be as robust as in the 1980s when the first Dash 8s were introduced, 2007 saw increased sales of the only two 40+ seat regional turboprops still in western production, Bombardier's Q400 and its competitor, the ATR series of 50-70 seat turboprops. The Q400 has a cruising speed close to that of most regional jets, and its mature engines and systems require less frequent maintenance, reducing its disadvantage.
The aircraft breaks even with about 1/3rd of its seats filled (or 1/4 with more closely spaced seats), making it particularly attractive on routes with varying passenger numbers where many seats will be empty on some flights. For example, Island Air in Hawaii calculated that the use of a 50-seat Regional Jet would break even at 45 passenger seats compared to the Q400's 35-36 seats (around 55% breakeven load factor). Most short-haul routes are less than 350 miles (500 km), so the time spent on taxiing, takeoff and landing virtually eliminates a competing jet's speed advantage. As the Q400's 414 mph (667 km/h) cruise speed approaches jet speeds, short-haul airlines can usually replace a regional jet with a Q400 without changing their gate-to-gate schedules.
Bombardier has singled out the Q400 for more aggressive marketing, launching a website centered around the aircraft. The aircraft is also being considered for a further stretched version (currently designated Q400X) to compete in the 90-seat market range.
Series 100
DHC-8-100 series
- Original 37–39 passenger version that entered service in 1984. The original engine was the PW120A (CAA validated on December 13, 1985); later units used the PW121 (CAA validated on 22 February 1990). Rated engine power is 1,800 shp (1,340 kW).
DHC-8-101
- 1984 variant powered by either two PW120 or PW120A engines and a 33,000 lb (15,000 kg) takeoff weight.
DHC-8-102
- 1986 variant powered by either two PW120A or PW121 engines and a 34,500 lb (15,650 kg) takeoff weight.
DHC-8-103
- 1987 variant powered by two PW121 engines and a 34,500 lb (15,650 kg) takeoff weight (can be modified for a 35,200 lb [15,950 kg] take-off weight)
DHC-8-106
- 1992 variant powered by two PW121 engines and a 36,300 lb (16,450 kg) takeoff weight.
DHC-8M-100
- Two aircraft for Transport Canada.
CC-142
- Military transport version for the Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
in Europe.
CT-142
- Military navigation training version for the Canadian Forces.
E-9A
- A USAF range control aircraft equipped with AN/APS-143(V)-1 radar that operates out of Tyndall AFB, Florida to ensure that the overwater military ranges in the Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world. Considered a smaller part of the Atlantic Ocean, it is an ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United...
are clear of civilian boats and aircraft during live fire tests of air-launched missiles and other hazardous military activities. Two aircraft are assigned to the 82d Aerial Targets SquadronThe 82d Aerial Targets Squadron ' is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 53d Weapons Evaluation Group and stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.-Overview:...
for the support of training missions.
Series 200
DHC-8-200 Series:Series 100 airframe with more powerful Pratt & Whitney Canada PW123 engines (rated at 2,150 shp or 1,600 kW) for improved performance also capable of carrying 37 to 39 passengers.
DHC-8-201
- 1995 variant powered by two PW123C engines.
DHC-8-202
- 1995 variant powered by two PW123D engines.
Q200
- Version of the DHC-8-200 with the ANVS system.
Series 300
DHC-8-300 Series
- Stretched 3.43 m (11 ft) over the Series 100/200, a 50–56 passenger version that entered service in 1989. Its engines are PW123 or PW123B or PW123E, rated at 2,500 shp or 1,860 kW.
DHC-8-301
- 1989 variant powered by two PW123 engines
DHC-8-311
- 1990 variant powered by two PW123 engines
DHC-8-314
- 1992 variant powered by two PW123B engines
DHC-8-315
- 1995 variant powered by two PW123E engines
DHC-8-300A
- Version of the DHC-8-300 with increased payload.
Q300
- Version of the DHC-8-300 with the ANVS system.
Series 400
Q400
- Stretched and improved 70–78 passenger version that entered service in 2000. Its 360 knot (670 km/h) cruise speed is 75 knots (140 km/h) higher than its predecessors. Powered by PW150A engines rated at 5,071 shp (3,781 kW) at maximum power (4,850 shp or 3,620 kW maximum continuous rated). Maximum operating altitude is 25,000 ft (7,600 m) for the standard version, although a version with drop-down oxygen masks is offered, which increases maximum altitude to 27,000 ft (8,200 m). All Q400's include the ANVS system.
Q400 NextGen
- Version of the Q400 with updated cabins, lighting, windows, overhead bins, landing gear, as well as reduced fuel and maintenance costs.
Q400-MR
- Q400 adapted to the water bombing role for the French Sécurité Civile
Operating for the French Ministry of the Interior, the Direction de la Defense de la Sécurité Civiles is a French Government civil defence agency, employing some 2,500 civilian and military personnel over 60 sites...
.
DHC-8-400
- 1999 variant with a maximum of 68 passengers.
DHC-8-401
- 1999 variant with a maximum of 70 passengers.
DHC-8-402
- 1999 variant with a maximum of 78 passengers.
DHC-8-402PF
- 2008 converted pallet freighter variant with a payload of 9000 kg.
Notable accidents
- November 21, 1990, a Bangkok Airways
Bangkok Airways Co., Ltd. is a regional airline based in Bangkok, Thailand. It operates scheduled services to 20 destinations in Thailand, Cambodia, China, Japan, Laos, Maldives, Burma, Singapore and Vietnam...
de Havilland Canada DHC-8-103The Bombardier Dash 8 is a series of twin-engined, medium range, turboprop airliners. Introduced by de Havilland Canada in 1984, they are now produced by Bombardier Aerospace. Since 1996, the aircraft have been known as the Q Series, for "quiet"...
crashed on Koh Samui while attempting to land in heavy rain and high winds. All 38 people on board died.
- June 9, 1995: Ansett New Zealand Flight 703
Ansett New Zealand Flight 703 was an Ansett New Zealand scheduled passenger transport flight from Auckland Airport to Palmerston North. On 9 June 1995, the Dash 8 aircraft flying this route crashed west of the Tararua Ranges and 16 km east of Palmerston North airport, during an instrument...
Dash 8-102 from Auckland Airport to Palmerston NorthPalmerston North is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is an inland city with a population of In 2008 it was the 11th-largest city in New Zealand, and the centre of the seventh-largest urban area...
crashed on western slopes of the Tararua Ranges and 16 km east of Palmerston North Airport during an instrument approach in inclement weather, four killed.
- February 12, 2009: Colgan Air Flight 3407
Colgan Air Flight 3407, marketed as Continental Connection under a codeshare agreement with Continental Airlines, was a daily U.S. regional airline commuter flight from Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey to Buffalo Niagara International Airport in New York State.A Bombardier...
a Q400, from Newark Liberty International AirportNewark Liberty International Airport , first named Newark Airport and later Newark International Airport, is an international airport within the city limits of both Newark and Elizabeth, New Jersey, United States...
to Buffalo Niagara International AirportBuffalo Niagara International Airport is an airport located in Cheektowaga CDP, Town of Cheektowaga, in Erie County, New York. The airport is named after the Buffalo Niagara Falls Metro Region...
stalled and impacted a house in Clarence Center, New YorkClarence Center is a hamlet located in the Town of Clarence in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 1,747 at the 2000 census...
, while preparing to land at the airport. All 49 people on board, including four crew and one off duty pilot, and one person on the ground were killed. Two other people on the ground received minor injuries. The cause is under investigation.
Major landing gear incidents
In September 2007, two separate incidents of similar landing gear failures occurred within four days of each other on SAS Dash 8-Q400 aircraft. A third incident occurred in October 2007, leading to the withdrawal of the type from the airline's fleet.
- September 9, 2007: The crew of Scandinavian Airlines Flight 1209, en route from Copenhagen
Copenhagen ; ) is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban area with a population of 1,167,569 and a metropolitan area with a population of 1,875,179...
to AalborgAalborg , sometimes written as Ålborg, is a city in Denmark. Its population, as of 2009, is 122,461, making it the fourth largest in the country after Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Odense. The earliest settlements date back to around 700 AD. Its location by the Limfjord made it an important harbour...
, reported problems with the locking mechanism of the right side landing gear, and Aalborg AirportAalborg Airport is a dual-use airport located in Nørresundby, Denmark, which is northwest of Aalborg. Aalborg Airport is the third largest airport in Denmark with more than one million travellers per year.-Duty Free Shopping:...
was prepared for an emergency landing. Shortly after touchdown the right main gear collapsed and the airliner skidded off the runway while fragments of the right propeller shot against the cabin and the right engine caught fire. Of 69 passengers and four crew on board, 11 were sent to hospital, five with only minor injuries. The accident was filmed by a local news channel (TV2-Nord) and broadcast live on national television. The video footage can be seen on YouTube.
- September 12, 2007: Scandinavian Airlines Flight 2748 from Copenhagen
Copenhagen ; ) is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban area with a population of 1,167,569 and a metropolitan area with a population of 1,875,179...
to PalangaPalanga is a seaside resort town in western Lithuania, on the shore of the Baltic Sea. It is the busiest summer resort in Lithuania and has beaches of sand and beautiful sand dunes...
had a similar problem with the landing gear, forcing the aircraft to land in VilniusVilnius Vilnius Vilnius as of 2008. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the...
. No passengers or crew were injured. Immediately after this incident SAS grounded all their 33 Dash-8/Q400 airliners and, a few hours later, Bombardier recommended that all Dash-8/Q400s with more than 10,000 flights be grounded until further notice.
- October 27, 2007: Scandinavian Airlines Flight 2867 en route from Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway, with a population of 253,600 as of July 2009. Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Economic Region, as defined by Statistics Norway, had a population of 385,450 as of January 2009.Bergen is located in the...
to CopenhagenCopenhagen ; ) is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban area with a population of 1,167,569 and a metropolitan area with a population of 1,875,179...
had severe problems with the landing gear during landing in Kastrup Airport. Right wing gear did not deploy properly (or partially), and the aircraft skidded off the runway in a controlled emergency landing. The Q400 was carrying 38 passengers, two infants and four crew members onboard. No injuries were reported. The incident is being investigated by the civil aviation administration in Scandinavia and all Dash 8-400 aircraft within the SAS GroupSAS Group, formerly Scandinavian Airlines System, is a company based in Stockholm, Sweden. The company is owned by SAS Danmark A/S, SAS Norge AS and SAS Sverige AB, who in turn are fully owned by holding company SAS Aktiebolag, or SAS AB for short.SAS AB is owned for 50% by the Scandinavian...
are grounded. The preliminary Danish investigation determined this latest Q400 incident is unrelated to the airline's earlier corrosion problems, in this particular case caused by a misplaced O-ringAn O-ring, also known as a packing, or a toric joint, is a mechanical gasket in the shape of a torus; it is a loop of elastomer with a disc-shaped cross-section, designed to be seated in a groove and compressed during assembly between two or more parts, creating a seal at the interface.The joint...
found blocking the orifice in the restrictor valveA valve is a device that regulates the flow of a fluid by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically pipe fittings, but are usually discussed as a separate category....
. On the next day, SAS permanently removed its entire Dash 8 Q400 fleet from service.
On September 12, 2007, Bombardier recommended all Q400s with over 10,000 landings to be grounded for inspection of their landing gear after two non-fatal accidents within three days involving the
landing gearLanding Gear is Devin the Dude's fifth studio album. It was released on October 7 2008. It will be his first studio album since signing with the label Razor & Tie. It features a high-profile guest appearance from Snoop Dogg. As of October 30, 2008, the album has sold 18,906 copies.-Track...
of a Q400 series aircraft. Both incident aircraft were operated by Scandinavian Airlines, an early operator of the type. This affected about 60 aircraft, out of 140 Q400s in service. In all, eight Q400s had landing gear failures while landing during 2007: four in
DenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe and the senior member of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries; southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and it is bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea...
, one in
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
, one in
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, one in
LithuaniaLithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the southernmost of the three Baltic states. Situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, it shares borders with Latvia to the north, Belarus to the southeast, Poland, and the Russian exclave of...
and one in
South KoreaSouth Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often simply referred to as Korea, is a country in East Asia, located on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by China to the west, Japan to the east, and North Korea to the north. Its capital is Seoul, the second largest...
; see section Notable incidents and accidents. Following an incident at
Copenhagen AirportCopenhagen Airport is the major airport serving Copenhagen, Denmark and the other cities within the Oresund Region. It is located on the island Amager, 8 kilometers south of Copenhagen city center, and 24 kilometers west of Malmö city center at the other side of the Oresund Bridge...
, October 27, 2007, Scandinavian Airlines' executive board decided to permanently remove its entire Q-400 fleet from service. In a press release on October 28, 2007, the company's president said: "Confidence in the Q400 has diminished considerably and our customers are becoming increasingly doubtful about flying in this type of aircraft. Accordingly, with the Board of Directors' approval, I have decided to immediately remove Dash 8 Q400 aircraft from service." On March 10, 2008, SAS ordered 27 more aircraft from Bombardier in a compensation deal.
In November 2007, it was revealed that Swedish
Civil Aviation AuthorityThe Swedish Civil Aviation Administration, or Luftfartsverket was the Swedish Government agency which regulated and oversaw all aspects of aviation in Sweden until 2005....
began an investigation and accused Scandinavian Airlines System of cutting corners for maintenance. The airline reportedly made 2,300 flights in which safety equipment was not up to standard.
Specifications
| | Series 100 | Series 200 | Series 300 | Series 400 |
|---|
| Unit Cost (US$) |
$12.5 million |
$13 million |
$17 million |
$27 million |
| Production & Orders |
298 |
91 |
263 |
363 |
| Entered Service |
1984 |
1995 |
1989 |
2000 |
| Aircraft dimensions |
|
| Overall length |
22.25 m |
25.68 m |
32.81 m |
| Height (to top of horizontal tail) |
7.49 m |
8.3 m |
| Fuselage diameter |
2.69 m |
| Maximum cabin width |
2.03 m |
| Cabin length |
9.1 m |
12.6 m |
18.8 m |
| Wingspan (geometric) |
25.89 m |
27.43 m |
28.4 m |
| Wing area (reference) |
54.4 m² |
56.2 m² |
63.1 m² |
| Basic Operating Data |
|
| Engines |
2 PW120A/PW121Pratt & Whitney Canada's PW100 engine family is a series of 2,000 to 5,000 horsepower turboprops manufactured by Pratt and Whitney's Canadian subsidiary. The engine first entered service in 1984.-Design:...
|
2 PW123C/DPratt & Whitney Canada's PW100 engine family is a series of 2,000 to 5,000 horsepower turboprops manufactured by Pratt and Whitney's Canadian subsidiary. The engine first entered service in 1984.-Design:...
|
2 PW123BPratt & Whitney Canada's PW100 engine family is a series of 2,000 to 5,000 horsepower turboprops manufactured by Pratt and Whitney's Canadian subsidiary. The engine first entered service in 1984.-Design:...
|
2 PW150A |
| Typical Passenger Seating |
37 (Single Class) |
50 (Single Class) |
70 (Single Class) |
| Passenger Seating Range |
37-39 |
50-56 |
68-78 |
| Maximum Cruise Speed |
310 mph (500 km/h) |
334 mph (537 km/h) |
328 mph (528 km/h) |
414 mph (667 km/h) |
| Maximum Operating Altitude |
25,000 ft (7,620 m) |
27,000 ft (8,230 m) |
| Range (w/typical pax) |
1,174 miles (1,889 km) |
1,065 miles (1,713 km) |
968 miles (1,558 km) |
1,567 miles (2,522 km) |
| Range (w/LR tanks) |
n/a |
1,264 miles (2,034 km) |
n/a |
| Takeoff run at MTOW |
2,625 (800 m) |
2,625 ft (800 m) |
3,865 ft (1,178 m) |
4,600 ft (1,402 m) |
| Design weights |
|
| Maximum takeoff weight |
36,300 lb (16,470 kg) |
43,000 lb (19,500 kg) |
64,500 lb (29,260 kg) |
| Maximum landing weight |
34,500 lb (15,650 kg) |
42,000 lb (19,050 kg) |
61,750 lb (28,010 kg) |
| Maximum zero fuel weight |
32,400 lb (14,700 kg) |
39,500 lb (17,920 kg) |
57,000 lb (25,850 kg) |
| Maximum fuel capacity |
3,160 l |
6,526 l |
| Typical operating weight empty |
10,483 kg (23,111 lb) |
11,791 kg (25,995 lb) |
17,185 kg (37,886 lb) |
| Typical volumetric payload |
3,407 kg (7,511 lb) |
5,138 kg (11,327 lb) |
8,670 kg (19,114 lb) |
See also
External links